25 years of Walford villains... that's a lot of villainry
In 25 years on Albert Square there have been a whole lot of dramatic endings... not all of them happy ones. That's largely down to Walford's flock of nefarious nogoodniks who have terrorised the lives of our beloved Square dwellers.
From Dot's lying, cheating, murdering black sheep, Nasty Nick, to the first and second coming of Dirty Den Watts, right through to scheming Vic-stealer Archie Mitchell, they're the characters we've loved to hate...

Take a look at Walford's rogues gallery and let us know who you would crown Walford's Greatest Villain.
Plus, apply for tickets to EastEnders25: The Exhibition - a celebration of 25 dramatic years in Walford, which will feature some of the most memorable props and costumes from a quarter century Albert Square. Find out more about the exhibition

Comment number 1.
At 11:22 20th Jan 2010, dagmar75 wrote:What about Wilmott Brown?
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Comment number 2.
At 20:36 20th Jan 2010, walfordking wrote:Sarah Barnes, the pysho who tried to split Martin and Sonia up.
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Comment number 3.
At 21:24 20th Jan 2010, jojoxx1234 wrote:I think Janine Butcher is probably the worst villain but there was Johnny Allen
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Comment number 4.
At 21:30 20th Jan 2010, hk wrote:I think Walfords greatest villain would have to either be Archie or Nick.
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Comment number 5.
At 21:32 20th Jan 2010, kane wrote:Archie mitchell booooooooooo!!!!!
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Comment number 6.
At 22:14 20th Jan 2010, jojoxx1234 wrote:No, archie mitchell isnt the worst but he has done horrible things to people
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Comment number 7.
At 08:43 21st Jan 2010, EastEndersfanever wrote:jANINE IS A GOOD VILLAN !!! xx
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Comment number 8.
At 08:53 21st Jan 2010, Alida Schaap wrote:Nick Cotton! Without a doubt!
He is Walford's greatest villain, closely followed by Janine Butcher.
Of course the other ones are villains aswell but there is one difference; Nick and Janine do not have respect for other people. Nick will kill his own mother for money and uses his own daughter in this scheme. And if you ask me, Janine is almost as bad as Nick! She killed Barry Evans in cold blood!
Those two are as bad as eachother with one difference, Janine would not be able to kill her parents. But that's the only difference between Nick and Janine.
Grant and Phil are villains with a good heart! Remember the storyline when they tried to get Ian's children back from Italy.
Johnny Allen was a hard one, but he really loved his daughter Ruby and that makes him human. Something we cannot say about Nick and Janine
But doesn't Lucas come close to those two? Allright he loves Denise but the question is; How much? In fact Lucas is a cold man and I wouldn't put it past him if he points a finger at Denise, Patrick or someone else for Owens murder. Remember Trina's bracelet?
My top three of Walford's villains is; 1. Nick cotton
2. Janine Butcher
3. Lucas.
Lida Schaap from Harlingen, the Netherlands.
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Comment number 9.
At 09:58 21st Jan 2010, Nickie - Host wrote:Wow Lida - good breakdown. So the key to the uber-villain is a total sociopathic inability to empathise with anyone... Nasty Nick it is!
Janine is a truly class villain, but you're right, she does have the ability to love. Especially her dad.
Trevor Morgan was pretty similar. Ooh it makes my BLOOD BOIL, just thinking about him...
And Wilmott Brown was a bad un and no mistake.
Meanwhile, gasp! Sarah Barnes!! I'd totally forgotten about her. Good call.
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Comment number 10.
At 11:19 21st Jan 2010, Nickie - Host wrote:It was Sarah Cairns! I thought something about that didn't sound right.
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Comment number 11.
At 16:43 21st Jan 2010, Megan wrote:Nick cotton. He is Really Bad and killed his own SON, yes you heard me, his son. He also took drugs. I also Think Janine is quite bad though, she is pretty evil. But archie is hard to figure out and can be quite secretive at times.
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Comment number 12.
At 17:23 21st Jan 2010, BurkelBonce wrote:Trevor Morgan, a real sadist - a truly nasty character!
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Comment number 13.
At 18:04 21st Jan 2010, Alida Schaap wrote:Nickie, your right, Trevor Morgan is also a nasty piece of work! The way he treated Little Mo was really disgusting! And wilmot Brown was also a creepy person. But Sarah Cairns? who was she? I've been watching Eastenders since Autumn 1990. Could it be that she was in Eastenders before 1990?
I think that Lucas is prone to become another Nick-Trevor-Janine-person. He worked himself in a tricky situation. The lies and killings he has comitted made him even more dangerous and I think he will manipulate things in such a way that another person will be sent to jail innocent.
And if that other person is Denise or Patrick he will not go to the police to confess. That's just how selfish he is.
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Comment number 14.
At 18:36 21st Jan 2010, Holx wrote:erm.. I think Nick Cotton or.. Janine Bitcher cos there both evil and really horrible !! thats what I think anyway !! xx
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Comment number 15.
At 18:38 21st Jan 2010, Holx wrote:by tha way ! on coment 2 Sarah barnes was on holly oaks !!
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Comment number 16.
At 19:01 21st Jan 2010, contactadam2002 wrote:I've been watching since 2000 and so since then my top 4 would be Nick cotton (heart of black) , Dan Sullivan (the scenes where he kidnapped mel and a great hard man act) and Andy hunter(what he did to sam was priceless) but the ultimate villain with many awards for his legendary performances (especially the one with Mo and the gravee)has to be TREVOR MORGAN. His acting was flawless and he undoubtedly played the perfect villain, all women beware. Janine was good but she has a nice side than neither nick or trevor could ever have.
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Comment number 17.
At 20:02 21st Jan 2010, U14308665 wrote:There is no question about it---the worst villain of ALL time is Nick Cotton, anyone who steals from his own mother and kills his own son is sickening. Janine the conniver is second followed by Cindy Beale, but shes dead now. The BEST character of all is Phil Mitchell.
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Comment number 18.
At 20:13 21st Jan 2010, stmarylebow wrote:trevor, without any doubt. just seeing him freaked me out.
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Comment number 19.
At 23:13 21st Jan 2010, alie1989 wrote:Trevor Morgan was a nasty piece of work, i think Steven Beale was a disturbed child but not a villan, all time favourite villan Nick Cotton
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Comment number 20.
At 15:18 22nd Jan 2010, jt1975 wrote:NICK nobody even comes close too him bet most on here dont remember how evil he was in the early days of EE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Comment number 21.
At 17:50 22nd Jan 2010, katie wrote:archie mitchell x
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Comment number 22.
At 18:17 22nd Jan 2010, Jenny wrote:Trevor!! That man was sadistic...
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Comment number 23.
At 20:48 22nd Jan 2010, contactadam2002 wrote:Lucas has probably begged for forgiveness before god and been forgiven for all the sins he'll promise never commit again (thus a saint once-more and not a sinner). He has to be considered the best new villain that currently appears on the square.
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Comment number 24.
At 21:28 22nd Jan 2010, Nickie - Host wrote:Lucas is a really tricky one, isn't he? I still find him quite likeable and keep forgetting about his err murderous side.
Dan Sullivan - good call
Sarah Cairns was a barmaid at Angie's Den. Martin woke up the morning after his stag night in her bed. She then started stalking him and in the end confronted him with Sonia and stabbed him! Does that jog some memories?
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Comment number 25.
At 09:11 23rd Jan 2010, Alida Schaap wrote:Yes of course 'Stalking Sarah' she gave Martin and Sonia a really hard time, didn't she.
Dan Sullivan was also a villain but he was not as bad as Nick, Janine, Trevor and Lucas.
And what to think of that nasty piece of work of a Jack Dalton? Who is a coward as well because he let others do his dirty work for him.
There is someone who is not mentioned as one of Walford's villains;
What about Chrissie Watts?.....
She was not exactly sweetheart of the year, was she?
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Comment number 26.
At 11:02 23rd Jan 2010, Ben Scarr wrote:I would always have said Den Watts or Nick Cotton, because they are brilliant villians. But Archie Mitchell is the best by far.
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Comment number 27.
At 15:43 23rd Jan 2010, Nickie - Host wrote:chrissie!!!! the feisty crimper! how could i have forgotten her??
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Comment number 28.
At 19:47 23rd Jan 2010, Ronald Kray wrote:Andy Hunter by faaaaaaaaar
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Comment number 29.
At 00:13 24th Jan 2010, Rob wrote:your all forgetting sum all time greats. sean slater, max is hardly an angel and of course the biggest legend in recent years STEVE OWEN!!
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Comment number 30.
At 00:15 24th Jan 2010, Rob wrote:not mention mad may. she was ruthless
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Comment number 31.
At 15:03 24th Jan 2010, Ian wrote:Yes for me it is Nick Cotton. He is the only one who hates everyone in the square. Janine well she does love a handful people at most. Trevor Morgan a really bad man and possibly joint number 1 with Nick. But Nick edges it for me cos he tried to kill Dot, stole money off her conned her out of every bit of money she came into, he corrupted his daughter into trying to kill Dot so it makes it look like frailty in her old age. He held the cafe full of hostages and blew it up on escape, sold Dotty to Dot.
And also the whole he killed Ashley bit. If you look around you will find he tampered with Mark's bike cos he intended to kill Mark. Ashley flew into a rage with Mark wanting a fight, he didnt get one so stole the bike, set off at high speed, Nick tried to stop him and Ashley went faster and ended up throwing himself off into the launderette. So he didnt kill Ashley in cold blood. It was a case of accidental manslaughter.
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Comment number 32.
At 18:27 24th Jan 2010, U14312294 wrote:Nick cotton definetly , He was willing to kill his mum just for money!!
Archie Mitchell close second by scamming family and what he would call targets out of money and even out of there homes
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Comment number 33.
At 20:08 24th Jan 2010, jassey wrote:nick cotton who whould kill there mum for money. but janine is 2nd she kil 4 people.xxx
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Comment number 34.
At 20:41 24th Jan 2010, Faye wrote:Definately Archie Mitchell,he was really evil. He kept saying how he wanted his family with him all together-happy families but then he'd just make them hate him even more. Especially what he did to Danielle was just evil,thinking that Ronnie would be better off without her when in fact Ronnie and Danielle would of had a brill life together.
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Comment number 35.
At 22:57 24th Jan 2010, Tina wrote:Stelllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaa....
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Comment number 36.
At 11:48 25th Jan 2010, jsabbasi wrote:I would say Nick Cotton without a doubt.
You name it, he has done it. As mentioned penlty of time before, he even tired to kill his own mum.
After Nick, Trevor Morgan, the character was played fantastically. I only really started watching eastenders in 1999 / 2000.
Janine is a good villain, but dose have a soft. Nick is only person i can thibnk of without a soft side, especially since his son died
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Comment number 37.
At 12:39 25th Jan 2010, Rob wrote:tony king?
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Comment number 38.
At 15:02 25th Jan 2010, warklord wrote:Hmmm... thats a hard one!
Nick Cotten is straight up there in the list (hes an awful actor though), hes tried to kill his mum at least TWICE, and he beat Reg Cox to death, he stabbed that old owner of the vic to death, he even caused the death of his SON! I wish Phil and Billy did kill him! Phil is a pretty nasty villain buts he softened up in the years, well he did try to kill Archie and possibly did kill him. Janine is horrible she murdered Barry, she even gave her stepmum a heart attack! Shes always got something up her sleeve apart from when Archie threw her out the Pub! Archie was pretty nasty but theres worse villains that have killed people . Now Lucas is the nutter! he believes everything he does is for god! He killed his ex wife and killed Denises ex! theres rumours that hes going to kill Bradley as well! But Lucas is'nt totally evil like Nick just a mad man that thinks hes gods avenging angel! Johnny Aleen was a scary man, hes killed loads of people! Here is my top 3!
1) Nick Cotton (killed 3 people and attempted to kill mum)
2) Lucas Johnson (killed 2 people)
3) Archie Mitchel (Took baby away from daughter, told her that she was dead, started controling peggy, fled when his lies were spread, he returned, raped stacey, evicted mitchells from pub and made ronnie misscarrige!
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Comment number 39.
At 09:34 26th Jan 2010, Nickie - Host wrote:baby-stealin' doctor may! she's up there too...
so far, it's looking like Nasty Nick will be wearing the crown.
with all of these nogoodniks in walford, i don't know how the locals step foot in the street! i'd be quiverin' behind me curtains.
Not to mention the fact that there's a killer on the loose there at the moment...
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Comment number 40.
At 16:32 15th Feb 2010, U14340617 wrote:are you all mad, have you forgotten grant mitchell, beating and terrorising sharon,knocking ten bells out of eddy royale, thiefing,burning down the vic,almost killing tiffany, sleeping with his mother in law,half murdering his brother on more than one oocasion,sleeping with his brothers wife,slapping his mother about could go on but i ain,t got all night.final comment is this, he was so good looking you wud forgive him anything.
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Comment number 41.
At 21:59 19th Feb 2010, Courtneyy wrote:Ooohh..
I don't know actually!
Grant Mitchell
Nick Cotton
Janine Butcher
Lucas
And a few other lunatics..
Oh and sorry, but Stacey now for obvious reasons!
I know it's just one murder but still! HER HUSBAND ALSO DIED BECAUSE OF HER!! :O
So I would have to say she is now on MY list anyway, for Killing somebody and then her husband also dying because of her..
Silly Cow >:(
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Comment number 42.
At 09:22 29th Jul 2010, eastendersfanemmaxxx wrote:i think janine is the biggest villan cos she pushed barry off the cliff!!!!
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Comment number 43.
At 10:47 29th Jul 2010, Pilky wrote:Defo Archie, I not being funny but every villain (exept Archie) had their reasons e.g. Janine pushing barry was accident, Nick proved several times he didnt have it in him to kill his mum and jony was a gangster- he wouldnt harm close friends or family whereas Archie raped his own daughter, was partly responsible for his grandaughters death and was a control freak
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Comment number 44.
At 18:56 29th Jul 2010, Acehit wrote:You've all forgot Dalton. Remember the head gangster that Dennis Shot dead. Then you had Hunter who took over who was even more evil. Remember all that stuff he put Kat and Alfie through.
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Comment number 45.
At 17:21 1st Aug 2010, eastendersfanemmaxxx wrote:here r my top 4:
1. janine
2. archie
3. nick
4. den
janine is the best!!! :):):):)
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Comment number 46.
At 17:22 1st Aug 2010, eastendersfanemmaxxx wrote:so is archie!!!!! :):):):)
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Comment number 47.
At 17:30 1st Aug 2010, eastendersfanemmaxxx wrote:when i say janine is the best i mean she is the best villan of all times!!! (even when barry fell off the cliff it was kind of janine's falt even though it was a accident.)
and when i say archie is the best too i mean he is the 2nd best villan of all times!!
:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O
:):):):):):):):)
:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
:P:P:P:P:P:P:P:P
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
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Comment number 48.
At 21:24 3rd Aug 2010, Michael wrote:NASTYYY NICK rullleeessss!!!!! yes NICK IS THE GREATEST VILLAN TO HAVE EVER LIVED ON THE square , nick cotton is also my fav. character in eastenders BBC bring back JOhn Altman
!!!!!!!!!!PLEEEEEAAASSSEEE
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